


Together

by echoing_winds



Category: Tales of Zestiria
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-28
Updated: 2015-11-28
Packaged: 2018-05-03 19:07:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5303258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/echoing_winds/pseuds/echoing_winds
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It is the night before Sorey and the others go to take care of Forton once and for all, but Sorey starts to have doubts and decides to go for a walk through Pendrago.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Together

**Author's Note:**

> My first ToZ fanfic (and first fanfic in a long time). It might be a little OOC-ish and I know it's not the best, but w/e. English is not my first language, so there might be a mistake or two, but I hope you like it nonetheless!

The never changing dripping of rain on the inn's roof made Sorey sleepy, as he let his gaze rest on what he could see of Pendrago's streets from the window. Heavy as boulders, the latest events still buzzed in his mind. If they found the cardinal to be responsible for the dreadful rain, then they would have to purify her, but ... what if they couldn't? Would they have to ... kill her?  
  
Tomorrow they would go investigate and he knew that he should rest as he would definitely need the energy drained from him. But even when he closed his eyes, he couldn't relax. Finding himself thrashing around. Troubling thoughts haunting his mind.  
  
Rose wasn't there. Probably off to meet with the Scattered Bones, he guessed, whereas the seraphim had left the inn to give their human companions some rest. While he thanked them for not constantly bickering in his head now, being alone felt rather ... empty. By now he was already so used to them that he started to miss the warmth they provided, those lights inside him, comforting him when in doubt. Reminding him why he was doing all of this, keeping him going.  
  
Maybe he should go for a quick walk. Just to stretch his legs.  
  


* * *

  
A warm breeze carrying tiny droplets of rain met Sorey as he left the inn. Without any destination in mind, he let his feet decide where to take him to. A heavy silence, only broken by the constant rain, hung over the city. Dark clouds covered the night sky, no light breaking through, even though it should already be full moon by now. Yet the darkness stayed to engulf the Rolance capital. Somewhere a dog barked and Sorey immediately thought of Mikleo and his fear ... um, dislike of the loyal beasts. Except for the rare wolf wandering into Gramps' domain every once in a while, they had never seen any wolves or other dog-like creatures when they were still in Elysia. In the underland, they were a rather common sight and many people seemed to keep dogs as their pets. Even brooding Dezel seemed very fond of them.  
  
Out of the corner of his eye, Sorey spotted Dezel who greeted him with a curt nod, eyes fixed on something the brunet couldn't see but suspected to be Rose. The wind carried her voice filled with determination, as she talked about how they would take care of Pendrago's rain problem tomorrow.  
  
Careful not to alert Rose of his presence, Sorey chose a different route. She would surely tell him to head straight back to the inn, but he couldn't do that. Instead, he kept walking, hoping to clear his mind. Rose seemed so sure that everything would somehow work out, but no matter how much he wanted to believe it as well, doubts wouldn't leave him alone.  
  
After a short while he saw Edna sitting on a bench, slowly twirling her umbrella, apparently lost in thought. As he got closer, however, her head perked up and the ghost of a smirk found its way on her face.  
"You left Meebo? And here he was, insisting on keeping you company, only to be sent away. Poor Lonely-o." Her monotonous voice rose over the rain.  
  
He didn't respond until he sat next to her, hands balled into fists. "It is nice to be alone sometimes, but ..." His voice trailed off, unsure of exactly what he wanted to say. When he thought about it, he never really spent a lot of time alone. Even if no one else was there, Mikleo had rarely left his side for a longer time, trailing after him like a shadow. He wanted to talk to his friends, especially the water seraph, about what was going to happen, but he hesitated. Surely everyone else had just as many worries and he shouldn't cause anyone to worry even more.  
  
Edna observed him with eyes like a hawk. "Or did our little Meebo leave you?"  
  
Sorey knew she didn't mean to do any harm but the words stung more than he liked. Everyone had left the inn. Even Mikleo. They just wanted to ensure he and Rose could sleep in peace, though how could he sleep when his mind was twirling with so many questions and fears?  
  
"It's okay. Everyone can come and go as they like." But he had wanted them to stay. Would it have been selfish to ask them to stay when they were already determined to go? "I won't force anyone to stay with me." How true was that? Would he still think the same if they were to leave for real?  
  
The earth seraph let out a sigh. "You're too good to be real, airhead," she muttered. "Always putting others before you."  
  
Without waiting for his reply, she stood up and walked a few steps, then stopped, hesitating, as if she wanted to say something but didn't know how to. Instead, she turned around after several heartbeats and they exchanged a long glance, unspoken words flickering like tiny fish in her eyes. Then she turned again and walked away.  
  
Sorey waited a little longer before he left as well. His clothes stuck to his skin but it didn't matter. He would head back into the dry, cozy warmth of the inn soon enough. For now he welcomed the slightly cool touch of the rain.  
  
Ahead of him, he watched a mother and her young child running across the street, the distressed look on the woman's face startling Sorey. They reached the house and she fumbled for something in her pocket, probably keys, but couldn't find them. The child cried loudly for food and tugged at his mother's sleeve, however, she only shook her head, burying her face in her hands. Did she lose the keys? Were they starving? Sorey knew that there was famine threatening to surge through Pendrago because of the constant rain ruining their crops. He was the Shepherd, supposed to save people, yet there were still so many people starving, suffering, falling victims to the spreading malevolence, dying, and he could do nothing. When he had formed the pact with Lailah, he hadn't know that he would feel so helpless, unable to directly aid those in need.  
  
He could buy them something to eat. He could help them find their keys. He could help them. He could save them.  
  
But the Shepherd couldn't interfere with problems originating from society. He was there to purify the hellions and defeat the lord of calamity, not to stop famine and death when it was clearly the rulers' duty. Lailah had told him several times that he would just have to watch.  
  
That didn't ease the pain left in his heart. That didn't stop those horrible thoughts telling him that he should be helping from haunting him even in his dreams.  
  
Sighing, he forced himself to look away and as he passed them, to act like he hadn't watched them. It only shattered his heart even more, guilt flooding him.  
  
Eventually he would be able to save them, he told himself.  
 

* * *

  
 "Are you okay?"  
  
Lailah's voice was full of concern, her hands holding one of Sorey's, as they sat together on a bench near the park, not far from where he had met Edna. Her long white hair swayed softly in the breeze and Sorey wondered if she felt more uncomfortable of the rain because she was a fire seraph, although he really appreciated the sentiment of staying outside because he didn't feel ready to head back inside.  
  
He forced himself to smile at her and nodded. "Just a little worried about tomorrow, that's all." It wasn't a lie. He was still being honest. He was worried. If only they had decided to take care of Forton immediately without having to wait another night ... but they all had been so worn out that they couldn't have infiltrated the shrine church.  
  
But Lailah didn't seem convinced. "Sorey," she began softly, "I know I already told you this, but please, don't think that you have to carry this weight all by yourself. We all want to help you." She smiled. "And will gladly do that." He opened his mouth to respond, but she went on, silencing him with a single glance, "Just because you are the Shepherd, it doesn't that we can't support you. No matter what happens tomorrow, you will have our backs."  
  
"But what if we can't save Pendrago?" If they didn't take care of Forton, the entire population would die sooner or later, given they weren't escaping first, but would any city even take in as many people as Pendrago's population? And what would happen to Pendrago after losing its cardinal? "How will I know what I will have to do, what the right way is?"  
  
"We dealt with hellions before and we will deal with them in the future. Sometimes, there is no right or wrong and we just have to believe in ourselves to find the answer we are searching for."  
  
The smile on his face grew bigger. "Thank you, Lailah." He squeezed her hand and leaned back. There were still things he wanted to say, however, he then remembered how troubled Lailah seemed when they mentioned something related to her oath, and so he instead asked, "But how did you know I was troubled?"  
  
She was silent for a moment, as if she was searching for the right words. Knowing her, she was probably trying to think of a pun. But when she answered, it was simply, "You had worry written across your face."  


* * *

  
As much as he wanted to believe Lailah that everything was going to work out, there was still one thought occupying his mind when he returned to the inn, hesitating to enter. What if they had to kill Forton? If malevolence had already spread through her entire being, causing her to rot from the inside? He kept telling himself that there were other ways. Ways to save her. But what if that was not possible anymore? Would he really be able to kill her if he had to? Would he have the courage to take the life of a person? Yes, he wanted to believe that he would be able to pull it through. He really wanted to believe it. Even more so, he wanted to believe that they could purify her. They had to purify her! He shouldn't worry about having to kill her. He would purify her, just like he had purified all those other hellions before. Yes, he could do it.  
  
"Shouldn't you be asleep in the inn?"  
  
The sudden sound of Mikleo's voice made him jump and he turned around to see the water seraph leaning against the wall of the inn, arms crossed and eyebrows furrowed. How could he sneak up on him so easily?  
  
"Mikleo!" Sorey greeted his friend and walked up to him, a smile on his face, but Mikleo kept frowning.  
  
"What are you doing out here? Want to get sick?" Holding out one hand in the rain, he gazed at the brunet who sheepishly lowered his eyes, wanting to escape those piercing, violet eyes.  
  
"Couldn't sleep," he confessed, ignoring the seraph's sigh.  
  
"Can't fall asleep when you're alone, huh? What are you, a child again?" Mikleo teased, but when Sorey looked up, he found himself drowning in the affection in Mikleo's eyes. Then Mikleo became serious again. "We'll manage somehow."  
  
It amazed Sorey how the seraph always seemed to read his mind. So Lailah was right. "Guess I really have worry written across my face..."  
  
His gaze softening, Mikleo put a hand on his shoulder. "Tell me about it."  
  
Everything poured out. At first hesitantly, but then it all came out. It didn't stop when Sorey's body started trembling. It didn't stop when the first tears rolled down his cheeks. He didn't want to break down like that but at least he knew that Mikleo was there, holding him tightly and listening. They stayed like that until Sorey calmed down and wiped the tears away.  
  
It felt like an eternity had passed between them before Mikleo finally raised his voice, anger dripping like the rain, "Why didn't you tell me before, idiot?" He smacked his head and frowned.  
  
Sorey winced at the sudden anger burst of his friend. "I didn't want to worry you about-"  
  
Mikleo covered his mouth with one hand. "Okay, that's enough. Stop saying nonsense." The seraph shook his head. "You know you can talk to me about everything. Why do you keep things like that to yourself?" Disappointed... hurt... "I want to help you, but how can I do that when you don't tell me what's troubling you?" A smile crept onto his face and he leaned against him, their shoulders brushing. "We're friends, in case you've forgotten."  
  
His chest began to swell with affection for the water seraph. Yes, they were friends. So much more than friends. "I'm sorry I kept it from you." The brunet had stayed silent to keep them from worrying, yet they were worried about him nonetheless.  
  
They smiled at each other and then, when he believed Mikleo to not expect it, he swiftly poked him at that one spot under his ribs. Mikleo let out a surprised yelp and raised his hands, grabbing Sorey's arm, then tickled him back. Squirming, Sorey started laughing, trying to free his arm, while blocking Mikleo's tickles with the other. Then he saw his chance and struck back, making the seraph giggle, his face reddened.  
Soon they collapsed on the wet ground, their sides heaving with laughter, when their tickle fight finally came to an end. Sorey felt Mikleo's head rest on his shoulder, both smiling. He was grateful for the distraction which reminded him of the time when they were still in Elysia, far away from everything that had happened. Despite everything, they were still as close, if not even closer, and would always be. Nothing in this world could change that, nothing could ever tear them apart.  
  
"Hey, look at this." Mikleo pointed at the sky, and when Sorey looked up, he could see the clouds having parted enough to reveal two shining stars piercing the darkness.  
  
"Still together," he commented and leaned his head against Mikleo's, eyes screwed up against the rain, "just like us."  
  
Mikleo hummed softly. "And they're never changing. Those are the same stars we saw back in Elysia, even though we have changed."  
  
"They must even be the same stars the people and seraphim before us had seen!" Sorey exclaimed excitedly. "And those stars must have seen so much as well! How all those ruins were built, the worshipping of the Great Five, former Shepherds ... even how humans and seraphim lived side by side! Oh man, how I envy them! I want to see it too! I want to be a star!"  
  
Beside him, Mikleo started giggling. "They are too far away to see everything! Besides, if you were a star," he glanced up at him with a look in those brilliant, beautiful eyes that made Sorey melt, "we couldn't explore ruins together, idiot." Before Mikleo stood up, Sorey could feel the ghost of a kiss on his cheek. "Come on, let's get inside before both of us get sick."  
  
For the first time today, Sorey felt like all those stones were completely lifted. Together with his friends, he could do anything. He would even be able to purify Forton, to defeat the lord of calamity, because he knew that he could always rely on his friends and they would always stay by his side.


End file.
